


The First Treaty

by Viscount_Ember



Series: Just Keep Moving [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: (honestly my law school vibes have gotten out of control), Fire Nation (Avatar), Fire Nation Politics (Avatar), Gen, Negotiations, Parental Hakoda (Avatar), Peace, Peacemaking, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e18-21 Sozin's Comet, Sokka & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, Sorry Not Sorry, Southern Water Tribe, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, weirdly litigious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:55:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26788585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viscount_Ember/pseuds/Viscount_Ember
Summary: Zuko is starting to put the Fire Nation's relations with the world back in order. He decides to negotiate his first peace treaty with the leader who is currently staying in his palace post-coronation. Somehow, he makes it work.
Relationships: Hakoda & Sokka (Avatar), Hakoda & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Just Keep Moving [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942303
Comments: 10
Kudos: 362





	The First Treaty

**Author's Note:**

> I'm honestly not proud of this but I did enjoy writing it. If you don't enjoy it, I'm sorry. Thanks for giving it a chance though. :)

Fire Lord Zuko’s coronation was one day in the past when Chief Hakoda received a message from the newly crowned monarch. The Avatar and all of his friends were being housed in the lavish palace that had recently been home to their worst enemies. It was surreal to say the least, but Zuko was so overjoyed to have his new family around that no one could bring themselves to inform him that his childhood home was terrifying. Indeed, Hakoda and Sokka felt very awkward as they waited outside the Fire Lord’s throne room next to a large tapestry of Sozin. While the invitation had only been addressed to Hakoda, Sokka had leapt at the chance to sit in on a meeting between his father and one of his best friends.

A servant opened the throne room door and said loudly: “Your Majesty, entering now are His Excellency Chieftain Hakoda and his son, the Honorable Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe.” Sokka preened slightly under the formality of his courtesy title. Hakoda was deeply amused. No one in the South Pole would ever call Chief Hakoda ‘His Excellency,’ but that was how Fire Nation etiquette worked.

“Thank you, Banzan. You can leave us now,” Zuko responded from his dais. The gold of the Fire Lord’s crown glimmered in the light of the chamber’s flames. The addressed servant bowed deeply before departing and closing the door behind him. Noticing they were alone with Zuko, Sokka immediately relaxed and prepared to speak casually to his friend. Hakoda, however, gave a stiff bow before stepping forward.

“You wished to see us, Fire Lord,” the southern chieftain said evenly. Zuko frowned.

“None of that nonsense, Chief Hakoda. You should never bow to me,” Zuko objected strongly. The man seemed surprised.

“Dad, this is Zuko we’re talking about,” Sokka jested. The two teenage boys smirked at each other as if sharing a silent joke. Zuko descended from the raised platform quickly and moved to embrace his friend’s arm in the classic Water Tribe gesture. Turning to Hakoda once again, Zuko bowed much more deeply than the former had.

“Thank you for coming to see me, sir. Care to sit with me?” Zuko said softly while nodding towards a barely-noticeable side table. It had three chairs and a steaming pot of tea.

“You knew I was coming?” Sokka asked.

“Of course. As if there was any doubt,” Zuko quipped fondly.

“It would be an honor,” Hakoda responded to the offer. Sokka was mildly puzzled by his father’s discomfort around Zuko but supposed that he had not gotten to know the young royal as well as the Gaang. He had only been with them at the Western Air Temple for a short time before Azula rained fire down on their heads.

After settling and enjoying the tea for a few quiet, awkward minutes Sokka spoke again: “Alright, Zuko. What’s up?”

Smiling, Zuko replied: “Well as you know, I am starting the long and difficult process of apologizing to the world for a hundred years of atrocities and trying to put together a peace that lasts longer than five minutes.”

“Yeah. I wish you and Aang good luck with that one,” Sokka joked. Zuko rolled his eyes before continuing.

  
“There will be a meeting in Ba Sing Se a few months from now to work out a final agreement with the Earth Kingdom’s leaders. I haven’t managed to get anyone at the North Pole to reply to my messenger hawks yet. They’re still a bit miffed about the attempted invasion…and they know that I was…well…there. And Aang is the only representative of the Air Nomads left. You’re kind of the only major leader other than Aang that will talk to me right now,” Zuko rambled awkwardly. Hakoda grunted slightly at being called a ‘major leader,’ but said nothing about it.

“That’s rough buddy,” Sokka said with a deadpan. Zuko awkwardly stared at his friend after the repetition of one of his own famously awkward one-liners.

“Anyways, I know I have little right to ask you after all my family and I have done to your people, but I put together a few proposals for a treaty between the Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe. Would you be willing to look them over?” Zuko asked nervously. Smiling, Sokka looked between Zuko and his father hopefully. The older man sighed once more before nodding.

“Of course. I don’t really hold you responsible for your family’s choices anyhow. My children speak very highly of you. At least they do now,” Hakoda responded. Zuko blushed but failed to hide his own smile.

“Thank you,” Zuko choked out before taking a deep breath, “Here are the proposals.” The boy handed both Water Tribe warriors a set of papers.

_Treaty of Peace Between the Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe:_

_Article 1: The Fire Nation will immediately remove all its ships, soldiers, and officials from the territory of the Southern Water Tribe. Such territory’s delineation shall be in accordance with the recognized borders directly prior to the Air Nomad Genocide. From this point onwards there will be no state of warfare between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe._

_Article 2: All Southern Water Tribe persons including regular prisoners, resettled civilians, and military prisoners will be returned to the South Pole under whatever timeline and conditions deemed appropriate by Chieftain Hakoda or his designated representatives._

_Article 3: The Fire Lord will issue any form of apology acceptable to the Southern Water Tribe for the atrocities of the Hundred Year War and the crimes committed against the Southern culture by his nation. Such apologies may include but are not limited to written, verbal, and a personal visit to the South Pole without the Royal Guard._

_Article 4: To ensure a degree of trust in the peace the Southern Water Tribe will maintain the right to keep observers at Fire Navy Headquarters for a period of ten years with full access. This would be with the understanding of reasonable confidentiality, and a mutual commitment to the permanent continuation of the peace._

_Article 5: In reparation for the irreparable damage wrought to the Southern Waterbending tradition by the Fire Nation’s purges, the Fire Nation Royal Household will personally fund the construction and maintenance of a Southern Waterbending Academy at the South Pole. Furthermore, all Southern artifacts including bending scrolls and artwork will be transferred to this Academy. All other details of this project will be at the discretion of Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe._

_Article 6: Due to the longterm economic impact of the Hundred Year War, the Fire Nation will transfer to the Southern Water Tribe two percent of its tax revenues for a period of five years. After this period the Fire Nation will continue transferring one percent of its tax revenues to the Southern Water Tribe for another period of five years._

_Article 7: Further to the issue addressed in Article 6, the Fire Nation hereby grants the Southern Water Tribe full fishing and commercial sailing rights in Fire Nation waters for a period of one hundred years. These rights will be understood to indicate free movement of Southern tradespersons through Fire Nation waters and tariff free cross-border exchange of fish and other seafood products._

_Article 8: Recognizing the historically rooted strategic position of the Southern Water Tribe, the Fire Nation henceforth vows to be a unilateral guarantor of Southern independence and security for a period of fifty years._

_Article 9: Subject to the intervention of the Avatar, the Southern Water Tribe may investigate and request extradition of any Fire Navy or Fire Army officer of whom war crimes can be proven. The full definition of war crime and the acceptability of proof will be set by agreement of Fire Lord Zuko and Chieftain Hakoda or their designated representatives. Any dispute over this principal’s application will be subject to binding mediation by the Avatar._

_Article 10: This treaty will be agreed to under condition of final approval by the Avatar._

Sokka and Chief Hakoda looked up from the papers with stunned expressions. Zuko looked nervously between them. He had tried to be as generous as he thought he’d get away with, but understood how difficult it would be to make up for a century of evil.

“This is a very serious treaty,” Hakoda said neutrally.

“Yeah, wow man,” Sokka added.

“If there is anything you find objectionable—“ Zuko started weakly.

“No! Not at all,” Hakoda interjected, “I suppose I just expected to get a lot less with a lot more effort. Is this a serious offer?”

Zuko nodded: “Yes, sir. I am willing to sign this treaty today if you wish. I can never make up for all my people did to yours, but I can at least do this much.”

“As I said, it’s far more than expected. May I ask, though, why are you giving the Southern Water Tribe such a favorable arrangement? And why before the other nations? Surely they’ll be offended. You can’t afford to be this generous with them—especially the Earth Kingdom,” Hakoda asked. Zuko looked down at his lap before answering.

“A lot of reasons. The Southern Water Tribe was far more ravaged by the war than any others except the Air Nomads. Of course, there’s not really much I can do to make up for what we did to them since—you know… And of course there’s a practical consideration. I will never be able to meet most of the Earth Kingdom’s demands anyways so…” Zuko rambled before pausing to take a breath, "The invasion last year was the only direct engagement between the Northern Tribe and the Fire Nation during the past eighty years of the war. It also…”

Seeing Zuko had cut himself off, Hakoda prompted him to finish: “It also? What were you about to say?” The teenage Fire Lord blushed profusely.

“It also doesn’t hurt that I only have five friends in the world and two of them are from the Southern Water Tribe,” Zuko said at length before continuing to furiously blush and avoid eye contact. Sokka smirked while putting a gentle hand on Zuko’s shoulder.

“Given what you were like before we were friends…that doesn’t surprise me,” Sokka deadpanned before showing just enough of a grin that Zuko knew he was joking.

“Yeah, yeah,” Zuko rolled his eyes.

“Well…I think you’ve made your first peace agreement, Fire Lord Zuko,” Hakoda smiled. Zuko looked at him in surprise until he processed what he had said.

“Really? I thought it would be harder…” Zuko mused happily.

“You gave us everything we would have asked for? Why wouldn’t it go smoothly?” Hakoda laughed.

“Huh…” Zuko grunted. Unlike the former occupants of this throne room, the two Water Tribesmen knew how to appreciate what they had, including the scarred boy sitting with them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a kudos and/or comment. I love them. All of them. (Even constructive criticism.)


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